O'Brien Outdoors: Family Fishing Fun--Sixth Annual Cane Pole Derby

The Rose Valley/Mill Creek Watershed Association (RVMCWA) presents the Sixth Annual Cane Pole Fishing Derby (catch and release) on Monday May 30. The event will be held at Rose Valley Lake from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (North Access off Lake Rd. is the Derby Headquarters and where you need to go to register at 8 a.m.).

While the catch-and-release contest is aimed at participants under the age of 16 and ‘first-time’ fishermen, it is “free” and open to everyone. A parent or an adult acting on their behalf must accompany children under 16 years of age. No fishing license is required, as May 30 is one of two days that the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission offers Fish-For-Free Days. What a great way to introduce someone to fishing or spend time with the family.

Fishing with a cane pole is angling in its simplest form. When I think of cane-pole fishing thoughts of a young, freckle-faced boy clad in a straw hat and cutoff bib overalls dangling a worm beneath a bobber comes to mind. A Norman Rockwell painting- a barefoot, red-haired boy, cane pole in hand, racing ahead of his elder mentor- embodies this fishing spirit of innocence.

The cane pole is an inexpensive fishing rod- if we can go so far as to make the comparison- that is normally fabricated from long, slender pieces of raw bamboo. Because of the extended length, cane poles are often made in sections, which are held together with metal ferrules. This makes for easier transportation and storage. There are no line guides and no reel. The fishing line is the same length as the pole and tied directly to the tip end, with the baited hook simply lowered into the water. Anglers can reach out over the water to present the bait to unsuspecting fish.

Cane poles are generally used for still fishing and catching small fish. But at the turn of the 20th century a popular ploy among fishermen was to use a lure of some sort and skitter it back and forth over the surface of the water in hopes of attracting bigger fish like large mouth bass. When a fish does attach itself to the hook, it is usually lifted, oftentimes unceremoniously jerked, from the water.

At the Derby registration each contestant will receive a cane pole, line, hooks, bobber, and bait, all of which are theirs to keep. Instructions and necessary information will also be distributed. In addition, each contestant will receive a commemorative 2011 Cane Pole Derby embroidered patch (the sixth in a series of collectible patches), commissioned by wildlife artist Ron Beach. Additional patches will be sold at the Derby for $5 each until the limited edition of 250 is sold out. All fishing must be done with the official RVMCWA cane pole (one pole per contestant), and no mechanical fishing reels or electronics are permitted. Any legal live bait or artificial lure may be used.

A 15-minute program- “How To Catch Fish”- will be offered before the start of the Derby. This presentation will be extremely helpful to youngsters and first-time anglers, and should help increase their catch.

Prizes will be awarded for: Most Fish Caught and Released; Largest Fish (length) Caught and Released; and Most Litter Picked Up. One prize for each category will be awarded. Contestants must be present at the Derby Headquarters Awards Program at 1 p.m. to receive awards, their patch, and be eligible for the door prize drawings.

For more information on the May 30 Derby or how to register contact Jerry Zeidler at 435-4506.                                    
The RVMCWA’s mission in holding the Derby is “To promote and perpetuate the values and aesthetics of fishing basics, not forgetting the importance of introducing new participants to the joys of recreational fishing and the need to protect our watersheds.”